Vertical combined production facility

Abstract

A Vertical Combined Production Facility, or gas-well production system, in which the separation of each phase (hydrocarbon gas, hydrocarbon liquids, and produced water), dehydration of natural gas, removal of minute traces of water from the hydrocarbon liquids, and polishing of produced water, are performed in a single pressure vessel. Additionally, the pressure vessel is installed in a vertical configuration such that the pressure vessel shell also serves as the structural support for a small deck and helideck. Additionally, the inlet heating of the well flow-stream is accomplished by a heat exchanger installed in the dehydration/regeneration heater (reboiler).

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 
     
       1. A Vertical Combined Production Facility apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon mixture of natural gas, liquid hydrocarbons and produced water, the apparatus comprising: (i) a separator for receiving a stream of the mixture and separating the mixture into a liquid and a gaseous phase;   (ii) a contactor, fluidly engaged to the separator, for further dehydrating the natural gas utilizing a supply of liquid desiccant;   (iii) a coalescer, in fluid engagement with the separator, wherein the contactor, separator, and coalescer, are contained within a single process vessel;   (iv) a reboiler disposed in fluid communication with the contactor for regenerating liquid desiccant received from the contactor and returning regenerated liquid desiccant to the contactor; and   (v) a heat exchanger disposed in fluid communication with the separator, and thermally engaged with the reboiler and such that the heat exchanger preheats a stream of the mixture using heat drawn from the reboiler prior to the mixture being received by the separator.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separator, the contactor, and the coalescer are disposed in substantial vertical alignment inside a single vessel. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the single vessel is adapted to provide primary support for a deck located thereabove. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the deck includes a helideck. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of the stream of hydrocarbon mixture prior to the stream being received by the heat exchanger. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure reduction device includes a choke. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is a flow-line heat exchanger, and the heat exchanger and reboiler are thermally engaged such that the heat exchanger draws heat directly from the reboiler. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising, a water polisher, in fluid engagement with the separator, positioned in the vessel to receive produced water from the separator by gravity. 
     
     
       9. A Vertical Combined Production Facility apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon mixture of natural gas, liquid hydrocarbons and produced water, the apparatus comprising: (i) a liquid organic solvent reboiler;   (ii) a heat exchanger thermally engaged with the reboiler for preheating a stream of the hydrocarbon mixture;   (iii) a separator, which receives a preheated stream of the mixture from the heat exchanger, for separating the mixture into a liquid and a gas phase;   (iv) a contactor, fluidly engaged with the separator, for further dehydrating the natural gas using a liquid organic solvent recirculated through the reboiler for regeneration;   (v) a coalescer, in fluid engagement with the separator;   (vi) a water polisher, in fluid engagement with the separator;   wherein the contactor, separator, coalescer, and water polisher are contained in substantially vertical alignment within a single process vessel, the vessel being adapted to provide support for a deck positioned above the vessel.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the single vessel can be maintained using a single set of safety devices. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the liquid organic solvent reboiler is a glycol reboiler. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the water polisher is comprised of polyolefinic plates situated in parallel. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the separator is configured to achieve separation of the two phases by means of gravity. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the vessel is an enclosed pressurized vessel. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the vessel is adapted to serve as the primary structural support for a helideck. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the separator further comprises a vane mist extractor. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the vessel is oriented vertically. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the apparatus comprises an additional means for removing water moisture from the natural gas. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the heat exchanger is a flow-line heat exchanger that draws heat directly from the reboiler. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: (i) an inlet pipeline for fluidly communicating an inlet of the heat exchanger with an in situ source of the hydrocarbon;   (ii) a heat exchanger discharge line fluidly communicating an outlet of the heat exchanger with an inlet of the separator;   (iii) a reboiler discharge line for delivering regenerated glycol solvent from the reboiler to the contactor; and   (iv) a reboiler inlet line for returning glycol solvent from the contactor to the reboiler.   
     
     
       21. A method of processing a hydrocarbon mixture of natural gas, liquid hydrocarbons and produced water, said method comprising the steps of: providing a process vessel;   providing a heating unit that includes a heat exchanger and a reboiler disposed in thermal communication with the heat exchanger;   withdrawing a stream of the hydrocarbon mixture from an in situ source;   directing the stream through the heat exchanger to preheat the hydrocarbon mixture, whereby heat is drawn from the reboiler;   directing a stream of the preheated mixture from the heat exchanger to the process vessel;   separating the preheated mixture received in the process vessel into a liquid phase and a gas phase;   dehydrating the natural gas in the gas phase using a supply of liquid desiccant received from the reboiler;   returning liquid desiccant to the reboiler, after the dehydrating step; and   operating the reboiler to heat the returned liquid desiccant, thereby regenerating the liquid desiccant.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the separating step includes, separating the mixture into a liquid phase containing liquid hydrocarbons and produced water, and a gas phase containing natural gas, the method further comprising the step of separating the liquid phase into water and liquid hydrocarbon. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, further comprising, after the step of separating the liquid phase, the steps of: promoting aggregation of entrained water globules in the liquid hydrocarbon; and   removing the entrained globules from the liquid hydrocarbon.   
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, further comprising, after the step of separating the liquid phase, the steps of promoting aggregation of entrained liquid hydrocarbon globules within the produced water; and   removing the entrained liquid hydrocarbon globules from the produced water.   
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24, wherein the process vessel includes a polishing section having a water skimmer, and wherein, after the step of removing the entrained liquid hydrocarbon globules, the method further comprises the steps of: directing the produced water into the polishing section; and   passing the produced water through the water skimmer to further remove liquid hydrocarbon from the produced water.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 21, wherein the process vessel includes a coalescing section, the method further comprising, after the step of separating the mixture, the step of directing the liquid phase into the coalescing section to separate produced water from liquid hydrocarbon. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of separating the preheated mixture includes separating the mixture into a liquid phase and a gas phase by gravity. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of operating the reboiler includes heating the liquid desiccant above the boiling point of water. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 28, wherein the process vessel includes a contactor section, and wherein the step of dehydrating the natural gas includes directing the gas phase into the contactor section, and wherein the step of returning liquid desiccant includes returning the regenerated liquid desiccant into the contactor section.   
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of: selecting glycol as the liquid desiccant.   
     
     
       31. The method of claim 21, wherein the process vessel includes a separator for separating the preheated mixture into the liquid phase and the gas phase, a contactor for dehydrating the natural gas in the gas phase using liquid glycol as a liquid desiccant, and a coalescer for separating the liquid phase into water and liquid hydrocarbon, wherein the step of separating the preheated mixture includes passing the mixture through the separator; wherein the step of separating the liquid phase into water and liquid hydrocarbon includes directing the liquid phase through the coalescer by gravity; and   wherein the step of dehydrating the natural gas includes directing the gas phase through the contactor.   
     
     
       32. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of providing a process vessel includes providing the contactor, the coalescer and the separator inside the vessel disposed in substantial vertical alignment therein. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32, wherein the separator is positioned intermediate the contactor and the coalescer, such that the liquid phase and the produced water move substantially downward by gravity therethrough and wherein the gas phase moves substantially upward. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33, wherein the process vessel further includes a water skimmer having a plurality of polyolefinic plates situated in parallel relation, and wherein the step of separating the liquid phase includes directing the liquid phase downward through the plurality of polyolefinic plates. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 21, wherein the heat exchanger is a flow-line heat exchanger, and the step of directing the stream through the heat exchanger includes drawing heat directly from the reboiler. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of directing the stream of hydrocarbon mixture through a choke to substantially reduce the pressure of the stream, prior to the step of directing the stream through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon mixture of natural gas, liquid hydrocarbon and produced water, the apparatus comprising: a heating system including a reboiler for heating a liquid desiccant passed therethrough in order to regenerate the liquid desiccant and a heat exchanger disposed in substantial thermal communication with the reboiler such that the heat exchanger draws heat from the reboiler, the heat exchanger being disposed in fluid communication with a source of the liquid hydrocarbon mixture in order to preheat the mixture; and   a process vessel containing, in substantial vertical alignment therein, a separator disposed in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to receive a stream of the preheated mixture, the separator being adapted to separate the preheated mixture into a liquid phase and a gas phase,   a contactor disposed in fluid communication with the separator, and having an inlet for receiving liquid desiccant from the reboiler, and an outlet for returning liquid desiccant to the reboiler after the liquid desiccant is used to dehydrate natural gas in the gas phase received from the separator; and   a coalescer disposed in fluid communication with the separator for receiving the liquid phase and separating water from liquid hydrocarbon in the liquid phase; and   a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of a stream of the hydrocarbon mixture prior to the stream being received by the heat exchanger.     
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the process vessel further contains a water skimmer section downstream of the coalescer for further polishing produced water received from the coalescer. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the water skimmer includes a plurality of polyolefinic plates situated in parallel relation. 
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the reboiler is a liquid glycol reboiler, the apparatus further comprising a recirculation pipeline interconnecting the contactor with the reboiler such that liquid glycol can be circulated between the reboiler and the contactor. 
     
     
       41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the contactor includes a plurality of contactor trays whereon liquid desiccant can engage the gas phase to remove moisture therefrom. 
     
     
       42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the separator is adapted to achieve separation of the mixture by gravity. 
     
     
       43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the separator includes a vane mist extractor. 
     
     
       44. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the separator is disposed intermediate the contactor and the coalescer in the process vessel, such that the liquid phase moves downward by gravity from the separator through the coalescer, and the gas phase moves upward from the separator through the contactor. 
     
     
       45. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the process vessel is an enclosed pressurized vessel. 
     
     
       46. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the process vessel is adapted to provide primary structural support for a deck. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the deck includes a helideck. 
     
     
       48. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising: a heat exchanger inlet conduit fluidly communicating an inlet of the heat exchanger with a choke of the pressure reducing device;   a heat exchanger discharge conduit, fluidly communicating an outlet of the heat exchanger with an inlet of the separator, for delivering a preheated mixture thereto;   a reboiler discharge conduit, fluidly communicating an outlet of the reboiler with an inlet of the contactor, for delivering regenerated liquid desiccant thereto; and   a contactor discharge conduit, fluidly communicating an outlet of the contactor with an inlet of the reboiler, for delivering moisture-enriched liquid desiccant thereto.   
     
     
       49. An apparatus for processing a hydrocarbon mixture of natural gas, liquid hydrocarbons and produced water, the apparatus comprising: a reboiler for heating a liquid desiccant passed therethrough in order to regenerate the liquid desiccant;   a pressure reducing device for reducing the pressure of a stream of the hydrocarbon mixture passed therethrough;   a heat exchanger disposed in substantial thermal communication with the reboiler such that the heat exchanger draws heat directly from the reboiler to preheat a stream of the hydrocarbon mixture that is passed therethrough, the heat exchanger having an inlet disposed in fluid communication with an outlet of the pressure reducing device;   an elongated, vertically-oriented vessel containing a separator disposed in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to receive a stream of the preheated mixture therefrom, the separator being adapted to separate, by gravity, the preheated mixture into a liquid phase and a gas phase and include a vane mist extractor,   a contactor disposed in fluid communication with the separator to receive the gas phase therefrom, the contactor having a plurality of contactor trays disposed substantially above the separator, whereon liquid desiccant operates to dehydrate natural gas in the gas phase, an inlet for receiving regenerated liquid desiccant from the reboiler, and an outlet for returning liquid desiccant to the reboiler,   a coalescer disposed substantially below the separator for receiving the liquid phase and separating water from liquid hydrocarbon in the liquid phases; and     a water skimmer section disposed substantially below the coalescer for further polishing produced water received from the coalescer, the water skimmer including plurality of polyolefinic plates situated in parallel relation.   
     
     
       50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the vessel is an enclosed pressure vessel adapted to provide primary structural support for a helideck located thereabove. 
     
     
       51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the liquid desiccant is liquid glycol and the reboiler is a liquid glycol reboiler.